frier



J. D. FRIER.

MACHINE FOR TEARING CLOTH 0R FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-24. l9l8.

- Patented Oct. 14,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 g H s Mum 70f? ATTORNEYS J10. FRIER.

MACHINE FOR HEARING CLOTH 0R FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.24. 1918.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A T TORNEYS THE COLUMBIA uuounwn cm. WASHING JOHN DOUGLAS FRIER, 0F \VARINGSTOWN, IRELAND,

MACHINE FOB, TEARING CLOTH 0R FABRIC; I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct; 14, 1919 Application filed August 24,1918. Serial no. 251,318.

T0 aZZavhom it may concern: 7 Be it known that 1, JOHN DOUGLAS FRIER, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland,- residing at \Varingstown, county Down, Ireland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements Relating to Ma chines forTearing Cloth or Fabric, of which the following is a specification. A This invention relates to machines for tearing cloth or fabric into strips, for example, for tearing webs of cloth lengthwise into strips to be made into handkerchiefs, or the like; The object of the invention is to provide improvements in machines of this class having a frame, a cloth table, cloth rollers and tearing rollers, and suitable driving mechanism, suitable tension and guide bars or rollers being also provided to guide and direct the cloth from the folded piece or rolled web, which is first cut into the requisite starting strips and the strips then led to drawing rollers at the opposite side of the frame. I 7

Under myinvention the cloth is led to the tearing point under and between guide bars, di'sposedi over-the cloth table and from these bars it passes; upward to a tearing guide carried by a longitudinally movable member, or carriage, suitably supported and which, can-adjust its position in accordance with the rolling up of the cloth on the oppositely disposed drawing rollers so as to main tain an even tension on the cloth at each side of the, tearing point;

vA movable roller, or. equivalent, may be so located and supported on rails, or the like, capable of being tilted asto cause said roller or equivalent, to take up any slack in the cloth between the guide bars and the tearing guide. This roller may, by loweringthe tilting rails, be broughtinto action when it is necessary to reverse the machinea little at any time, and I may also so connect one of the guide bars with the tilting rails that it will hold the cloth at such times, the movable gnide bar being normally held out of action; when the cloth passes between the bars.

' f j I I l-prefer blyprovide adjustable edge'indicators to. show the operator'whether the cloth is tearing evenly or not. order that the invention may be clearly understood 1 have hereunto appended eX- planatory drawings whereon a cloth tearing machine in accordancelwith, my invenample.

Figure 1 1s a side elevation of the machine 1 but showing the clothwiththe starting tion is shown byway of illustration or en- 7 strips just secured on thewindi-ng rollers i and ready tocommence the tearing opera:- tion. i IL In the example shown in the drawingsthe machine comprises a rectangular framework 1, and on the longitudinal side members 11 and at each end thereof, are bearings l and 1, the bearings 1 carrying a shaft 2' andthe bearings 1 carrying a shaft Theshaft 2 is driven by a belt drive from a fast loose belt pulley, (not shown) ,;onthe shaft 2. The shaft 3' is driven from the shaft;2 7

through the medium of chain wheels 2? and 3 and driving chain 5. At thetop of the end frames 1 andl I respectively provide bearings 6- and ,7 adaptedto carry the cloth rollersS and 9 the shaft for the cloth roller 8; being driven bya chainv drive 10 from a chain wheel 11 on theshaft 2. and. th'eshaf-t for the cloth roller9. being driven ,bya chain drive 12 from a chain wheel 13 on the shaft 3, The chain drive 10 drives. onto a chain wheel lion the shaft carryingthe roller' 8 and the chain drive 12 driveson to achain wheel 15. on the shaft carrying theiroller Q'.

At the front end A of thelniachine and supported on the toplongitudinal side members 1?,1- provide a'pair of guidingand ten; sioning rollers 1.6 and 16 and' atlthe bacli endof the machine I provide a correspond ing pair :ofrollers 17? and1-7 and in front of the roller 17 a I. provide a roller 17 and between the rollers 17 and 17 ,I'provide'a vertically movable tensioningf roller 18 supported on. sliding members 18*- connectediby I a lever, 19, link bar. 20,.lever 21'. and linlrbar 22 with a weighted foot lever. 232 -The weight 23 normally keeps the "roller, 18'

lifted so that it does not pressron the'clotli passing between the rollers-17 and; 1'1 but, on the foot lever 23*being rdepress'ed' theiten-j tostretchzthe cloth. Onthe top-longitudinal sion roller 18w-illbe. caused tol-be'a-r on theside members 1 and extending between roller l6 -and the roller 17 I provide rails 24 and above same I provide, and suitably support, rails 25 and between the rails 21 and 25 and running thereon I provide a Wheeled carriage 26 which extends across the machine and is provided with a central slot 26* extending across the machine as shown in the plan view at Fig. 2. I provide and secure on the carriage 26 a cloth edge guide 26 which brings the tearing point of" the cloth to a fixed point on the carriage 26 thereby regulating, the point at which the tearing takes place, thus insuring the even rolling of the cloth. The cloth after being torn passes at the one side over the roller 16 and under the roller 16 to the cloth winding roller 8 and at the other side it passes over the roller 17 and 17 and under the roller 17 b to the winding roller 9. The cloth to be torn is led to the slot 26 between guide bars 27 and 28 which centralize the cloth. The sharp corners 27 and 28 prevent a double ply of cloth rising accidentally from the table 29, owing, for example to one ply adhering to another or being held thereto by a curl or crease at the end of the ply. The table 29 is preferably made so that it can be pulled out at the side of the machine for the convenient laying of the cloth thereon.

In order to facilitate the nickingof the cloth to correct any defect in the tea ing it is necessary to bring the cloth from the center of the machine to the front end A and for this purpose I provide a movable frame 30 supporting a wheeled carriage 31 carrying a roller 32. The arrangement is such, that, by lowering the frame 30 the carriage 31 with the roller 32 will run toward the front of the machine, taking the cloth with it and so bringing the cloth to a convenient position for nicking. lVhen lowered, the end of the frame can rest on a fixed support, and when raised, it can rest on a hinged rest. A stop on the front of the frame prevents the roller carriage leaving the rails. In order to hold the cloth firmly when it is necessary to reverse the machine to wind back the cloth, I provide in connection with the frame 30 a lever 33 which connects by a link 34; with an elbow lever 35 connected by a link 36 with a lever 37 which carries the bar 28. The arrangement is such, that, the raising of the frame 30 turns the lever 33, and by the link 3st effects a corresponding turning movement of the lever 35', and by the link 36 such movement is transmitted to the lever 37 so as to cause it to turn or move the bar 28 away from the fixed bar 27 so as to release thecloth while the lowering of the frame 30 causes the. bars 27 and 28 to grip the cloth firmly and prevent any slip when the machine is being reversed. The machine is reversed by causing the reversing wheel 41 to be moved so as to cause a cog wheel connected therewith to mesh with a slackness in the cloth.

cog wheel on shaft 2 when the machine can be reversed by turning the hand wheel 41.

In order to take cloth for tearing into strips from :1. rolled piece or web of cloth I provide a shaft 38 adapted to receive the rolled web of cloth and from which the cloth is fed through the guide bars 27 and 28 and slot 26 in the carriage 26 to the winding rollers 8 and 9.

In tearing a piece of cloth by my machine, the cloth is first nicked to the required widths and a sufiicient length of starting strip is torn to enable the end of the starting strips to reach the tearing or winding rollers 8 and 9. The starting strips are drawn between the bars 27. and 28 and up to and through the slot 26 in the carriage 26 from which one strip is taken to each of the rollers 8 and 9.. The end of each strip is then secured to its winding roller by spring or other clips and the rollers are given one or more turns. The frame 30 is then lowered to cause the roller 32 to take up any The roller 32 is pushed by the tension of the cloth which causes the carriage 31 to travel along the frame 30 and is thus carried out of the way but it will still press against the tight cloth. When the machine is in operation, the frame 30 can be raised, and the carriage 31 and roller 32 will then move back from the cloth. lVhen the machine is running, the rollers 8 and 9 pull the strips of cloth in opposite directions so as to tear the cloth at the tearing point B. The cloth edge guide 26 which is secured on the carriage 26 brings the point at which the cloth is being torn to the point on the carriage where the guide 26" is located.

If one of the rollers 8 or 9 takes up slightly more cloth than the other carriage 26 will adjust itself to the changing conditions and so maintain an even tensionron the cloth. W' hen the cloth is being torn into a narrow strip and a, wide strip, the narrow str p may stretch more in the winding than the wide strip and to compensate for this the tension roller 18 is brought into action by depressing the foot lever 23 thereby increasing the stretching or tensioning of the wide strip which would be led to this end of the machine, thereby equalizing or helping to neutralize the greater stretching which takes place in the winding of the narrow strip on to the winding roller 8.

bleachers damage or thick thread may cause the tear to run off the line to one side or-the other and to indicate any such variations I provide indicators 39 and 40 which, by their relation to the outer edges of the cloth, at once indicate to the operator any variation in the width of the cloth at each side of the tearing point B. The operator can then stop the machine and by lowering the front end of the frame .30 and reeising therun of -the cloth'by means o-f'the nick the cloth so as to bring the tear back to. the proper line after which the machine can be re-started, by moving the belt a from the. loose to the fast pulley;

VVhen it is desired to tear the cloth into more than two widths itvis first torn into two widths and then the width to be re-torn is placed on the shaft 38, the cloth being then again nicked and the starting strips led between the bars 27 and 28 and through the slot 26" of the carriage 26 to the tearing rollers 8 and 9 and torn into the'required strips as hereinbefore described.

Having now fully described'my invention what I claim and desire tofsecure by Letters Patent is 1. A machine for tearing cloth'into strips, comprising a framework v means in the framework for supporting the cloth to be 13 01 311, tearing and winding. rollers. for the cloth supported in hearings in the-framework, mechanism for operatin same, tensioning and guiding rollers fi tted at the front end of the machine, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the back end of the machine and tearing mechanism working in conjunction with said rollers.

2. A machine for tearing cloth into strips comprising a framework, means in the framework for supporting the cloth to be torn, tearing and winding rollers for the cloth supported in bearings in "the framework, and mechanism for operating same, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the front end of the machine, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the back end of the machine and lever mechanism for controlling same, and adjustable tearing mechanism working in conjunction with the tensioning and guiding rollers.

3. A machine for tearing cloth into stri s comprising a framework, means in 't e framework for supporting the cloth to be torn, tearing and winding rollers for the cloth supported in hearings in the frame work, and mechanism for operating same, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted vat the front end of the machine, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the back end of the machine and lever mechanism for controlling same, and tearing mechanism comprislng a wheeled carriage having means thereon for regulating the point at which the tearing of the cloth takes place.

4. A machine for tearing cloth into strips comprising a framework, means in the framework-for supporting the cloth to be torn, tearing and winding rollers for the cloth supported in bearings in the framework, and mechanism for operating same, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the front end of the machine, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the back end of the machine and levcrmech'anism for controlling same, andtearin'g mechanism-comprising a wheeled carriage having a slotted bar and a cloth edge guide for regulating the point at which the tearing of the cloth 'takes' place. i

I 5. A machine for tearing cloth into strips comprising a f'amework, means in the framework'for supporting the cloth to be torn, tearing and winding rollers for the cloth supported in bearings in the framework, and mechanism for operating same, tensioning and guiding. rollers fitted at the front end of the machine, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the back end of the machine and lever mechanism for controlling same, tearing mechanism working in conjunction with the tensioning and guiding rollers, and mechanism for conveying the cloth to the front end of the machine for correcting any defect in the tearing operation. 7 I

6. A machine for tearing cloth into strips comprising a framework, means in the framework for supporting the cloth to be torn, tearing and winding rollers for the cloth supported in hearings in the framework, and mechanism for operating same, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the front end of the machine, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the back end of the machine and lever mechanism for controlling saine, tearing mechanism working in conjunction with the tensioning and guiding rollers, and mechanism comprising a wheeled carriage and roller, supported on an angnlarly adjustable frame, for conveying the cloth to the front end of the machine for correcting any defect in the tearing operation.

1. A machine for tearing cloth into strips comprising a framework, means in the framework for supporting the cloth to be torn, tearing and winding rollers for the cloth supported in hearings in the framework and mechanism for operating same, 116 tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the V front end of the machine, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the back end of the machine, tearing mechanism working in conjunction with said rollers, and means for 120 holding cloth firmly when the machine is reversed to wind back cloth.

8. A machine for tearing cloth into strips comprising a framework, means in the framework for supporting the cloth to be guiding rollers fitted at the back end of the machine and lever mechanism for controlling same, tearing mechanism working in conjunction with the tensioning and guiding rollers, mechanism for conveying the cloth to the front end of the machine for correcting any defect in the tearing operation, and link and lever mechanism con nected with said cloth conveying mechanism for holding the cloth firmly when the machine is reversed to wind back cloth.

9. A machine for tearing cloth into strips comprising a framework means in the framework for supporting the cloth to be torn, tearing and winding rollers for the cloth, supported in bearings in the framework and mechanism for operating same, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the front end of the machine, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at the back end of the machine and lever mechanism for controlling same, adjustable tearing mechanism working in conjunction with the tensioning and guiding rollers and means fitted in connection with said mechanism for indicating any variation in the width of the cloth when torn.

10. A machine for tearing cloth into strips comprising a framework, means in the framework for supporting the cloth to be torn, tearing and winding rollers for the" cloth supported in bearings in the framework and mechanism for operating same, tensioning andguiding rollers fitted at the front end of the 'machine, tensioning and guiding rollers fitted at' the back end of the machine and lever mechanism for controlling same, adjustable tearing mechanism working in conjunction with the tensioning and guiding rollers and indicators fitted in connection with saidmechanism for indicating any Variation in the width of the cloth when torn.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN DOUGLAS F nns. Witnesses LILY C. FITZPATRIOK, J GEN Knox.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patentl. Washington, D. 0. 

